WSOP 2023 Day 27 Recap: Joey Weissman the Player to Catch in Record-Breaking Millionaire Maker Event

Seven World Series of Poker events took place on Day 27 of the World Series of Poker (WSOP), with stars of the felt such as Joey Weissman and Mike Gorodinsky putting themselves in pole positions to win bracelets. The Millionaire Maker was confirmed as the record-breaking $1,500-entry event of all time too, as players descended on the Horseshoe and Paris casinos in Las Vegas in thousands.

Weissman on Top in Record Millionaire Maker Field

The biggest-ever $1,500 poker tournament in live event history reached the end of Day 2 inside the Horseshoe and Paris casinos, with both in action to accommodate this massive event. Of the 327 players who survived from 2,322 starters on Day 2, Joey Weissman (3,770,000) was top of the leaderboard, with two French players, Safwane Bari (2,880,000) and Thomas Cazayous (2,405,000) filling the other two podium places.

Other big names to make the cut and hope their experience can see them negotiate their way to the final in tomorrow’s Day 3 included Leo Margets (1,440,000), David ‘ODB’ Baker (1,410,000) and Triple Crown (WSOP, WPT and EPT) winner Roberto Romanello (1,270,000), with all three of those superstars inside the top 50 players.

Gorodinsky Lengths Clear in H.O.R.S.E. Championship

Mike Gorodinsky built a formidable final table lead on the penultimate day of action in Event #54, the $10,000 buy-in H.O.R.S.E. Championship. Establishing a massive lead with 3,695,000 chips, Gorodinsky, who has won two WSOP bracelets already in his career is favorite to land a third tomorrow.

One man who might be the best bet to stop him is former WSOP Main Event finalist and fellow WSOP winner Alex Livingston, who is closest in chips with 2.16 million of them, but the Canadian is not the only dangerous challenger lurking in the chasing pack. Four-time WSOP title winner Brad Ruben (1,930,000) and Day 2 chip leader Brian Yoon (1,445,000) both have seven figures of chips to play with.

Lower down in the ranks but by no means out of the reckoning are Scott Seiver (990,0000, Carol Fuchs (515,000) and Chris Claasen (265,000). With a total of 17 bracelets having been won by the top six players remaining, nothing is done until the winner breaks the tape in this special event for lovers of mixed games and equine puns. Giddy up!

Heimiller and Baxter Chasing Glory in Seniors Championship

Two bona fide poker legends are still in there battling for gold in the $1,000-entry Seniors Championship, which today reached its final day with only seven players remaining in with a chance of taking gold and the $765,731 top prize. Dan Heimiller (59.1 million) leads the way from Lonnie Hallett (55.3 million) with the top two miles clear of the competition with one day left.

In third place on the leaderboard is Billy Baxter, who may only have 15.5 million chips, but has all the experience and a previous track record at the WSOP to comeback to win what would be his eight WSOP bracelet. The 82-year-old has been a consistent winner in the game for 60 years and shows no signs of letting up given his superb run in this event.

Joined on the final day by players such as Shannon Fahey (12.5 million) and overnight leader Gordon Eng (9.2m), there is still a long way to go in this year’s Seniors Championship. Tomorrow, one of the final seven will claim gold and glory.

Matusow Flying High in Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo

Poker legend Mike Matusow went through to the final day of the $1,500-entry Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Event #55, as he sailed into the top 10 of 18 survivors on Day 2 of the tournament with a $155,275 top prize.

With a total of 566 entries in this event, an uptick from 471 in 2022, only 183 players began Day 2. Matusow more than survived that cull to sit in seventh on the list of players coming back to compete for what would be his fifth WSOP bracelet, ending the day on 890,000 chips.

Top of the leaderboard overnight is Qibang Cheung (1.8m), with Kao Saechao (1.25m) in second place. Others such as Brian Rast (870,000) are threatening from a lower position, with Rast one day’s play away from winning his second WSOP inside a week and seventh in a glittering career.

On a day where players such as Alex Livingston, Dan Zack and Norman Chad all missed the money, others managed profit, such as Dustin Dirksen, Max Pescatori and Shaun Deeb who cashed for the 12^th time this month, bagging $5,630 in 19^th place.

Records Broken in Salute to Warriors Event

There was a record-breaking field in Event #56, the $500-entry Salute to Warriors event which donates a portion of the prizepool to a charity supporting U.S. veterans. At play ended, a total of 654 players were still in seats from a record-breaking field of 4,303 entrants an increase of over a thousand on the 2022 field.

The chip leader at the end of Day 1 was Charlemagne Benjamin (1,300,000), with the two-time WSOP bracelet winner Ryan Eriquezzo (1,216,000), and Kyle Miholich (1,121,000) both making the podium places too. There were also great stacks for stars of the felt such as Ali Shahni (726,000), Ari Engel (also 726,000), and Yeuqi Zhu (685,000), all of whom ended the day in the top 40.

Hennigan and Kornuth Cruising in PLO High Roller

John Hennigan and Chance Kornuth both feature in the top 10 players overnight as Day 1 of the $25,000-entry PLO High Roller Event #57 saw 357 entrants reduced to 149 survivors on a day of excitement. Top of the leaderboard after 10 levels of action was Firas Kashat (1,203,000), with Yang Wang (1,120,000), and Norbert Szecsi (1,071,000) the only others to top seven figure stacks on the day.

Elsewhere in the top 10, however, some hungry sharks are dangerously close to the surface, with Michael Duek (942,000), John Hennigan (818,000), and the three-time WSOP bracelet winner Chance Kornuth (762,000) all high up.

A little further back, stars such as Sam Soverel (692,000), Jeremy Ausmus (568,000), Bryn Kenney (523,000), Ben Lamb (474,000), Erik Seidel (461,000), Anthony Zinno (398,000), Josh Arieh (354,000), Nick Schulman (274,000) and Daniel Zack (271,000) sit waiting to pounce on any mistakes on Day 2.

Mizrachi Grinds His Way into Top 10 of Event #58

Michael ‘Grinder’ Mizrachi managed to make the top 10 in Event #58, the $3,000-entry No Limit Hold’em event at the WSOP, with 263 entrants reduced to just 115 survivors overnight. Chip leader overnight was Greg Josephson (241,000), with Daniel Maczuga (217,500) and Kyle Dilschneider (194,500) also making the podium places. Inside the top 10 are Justin Lapka (176,000) and JJ Liu (165,000), with Mizrachi tenth in chips with 163,000 to his name.

Others to ‘find a bag’ include Kosei Ichinose (149,500), Maria Ho (126,000) and David ‘Gunslinger’ Bach (101,000), all of whom ended the day inside the top 50 players.

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